FEATURED NEWS

Ahead of resumption of full academic activities today, the Nigeria Police Base located opposite the University Demonstration Secondary School, Aluu, has restated the total commitment of its officers and men to checkmate criminal activities around the University and its neighbourhood.

Management of the University secured the assurance when it paid a working visit on the Base Commander, Mr. Ben Igwe, to alert the Police of possible resurgence of criminality as the University reopens for academic activities for the 2016/2017 academic session today.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Anthony Ibe, who stood in for the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ndowa Lale on the visit last Monday, said the trip was another way of cementing the fraternal relationship that currently existed between the University and the Base Command. He was accompanied on the visit by Principal Officers and other senior staff of the University.

“We are here to thank the officers and men of the Base for the excellent work you are doing to tackle the security challenges that had bedevilled this area before your arrival here. We are happy with what you are doing which Management of the University had also expressed in writing to the Inspector-General of Police. We intimated the Police Headquarters of your commendable professionalism in the line of duty here and also assured the headquarters of our continued support that would enable you do more in policing our neighbourhood,” the Acting Vice-Chancellor said.

Professor Ibe further pledged more support for the Base as the University opened for students today, following the completion of renovation work on their hostels by Management. He intimated the Police that Senate of the University expelled 22 students on account of their involvement in acts of gross misconduct as determined by the University Senate. Professor Ibe reminded the public that universities the world over awarded certificates to students who were found worthy not only in learning, but also in character and therefore, did not condone indiscipline by a few unruly students who were hell-bent on dragging the reputation of the University into disrepute.

In his response, the Base Commander and Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr. Igwe vowed to sustain the fight against miscreants, who once engaged in all sorts of criminality, including kidnapping of staff of the University, rape and robbery, thereby giving the residents sleepless nights.

“The new Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim believes that there is hardly any crime in the country that cannot be unravelled. We keyed into his vision and that was why we were able to detect some of the crimes committed even before we arrived here, including the abduction and gruesome murder of one of your staff, Dr. Eebah Lebari, who was buried in his premises. We have already contacted the Interpol to apprehend two of the suspects who fled to Benin Republic to avoid arrest.

“Prior to our deployment here, Lecturers were boxed in and whisked away by kidnappers at will by criminal elements some of who are students of your University. When we came, I promised the University community that there would be no more kidnapping until we are relocated from here. And I must say that though it is not easy to secure a cosmopolitan environment such as a university, God has been on our side to be on top of the situation on your Campus and the host communities,” Mr. Igwe said, promising to sustain the battle against criminal elements.

On resumption of the University for the new session, the Chief Superintendent of Police stated: “The students are part of us; so we are ready to welcome them back to school and help to create a conducive atmosphere that would enable them go about their lawful activities on and off Campus. Let me, however, inform you that we are beaming our searchlight on some of your students who are suspected of involvement in criminal activities.

“They also knew that we are after them, so they shunned the Second Semester Examinations. We must maintain law, orderliness and discipline around here henceforth. We will not allow unruly students or their sponsors to disrupt lawful activities in this University and we are putting them on notice to either relocate or be ready to conform to the rules and regulations of the University. We are not interested in how the University is managed. Our business is to ensure that there is law and order in our areas of operation. That is our mandate from the Inspector-General of Police and we must comply fully with his lawful orders. Nobody should take laws into his or her own hands in a civilised community of scholars. Anybody who feels aggrieved with the decisions of the University should advertise such grievances through the proper channels of communication. We are ready to fight criminality here and we wish to reassure the University of our preparedness to safeguard the community and to also appeal for cooperation because in the final analysis, The Police is Your Friend,” he assured.